Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Falling off the bicycle
It isn't true that you never forget. Part of the reason I haven't written for four years is because I didn't write for one. Part of the reason I didn't write for one year is that I didn't write for three months, and so on. By which logic, I can't ever stop typing again for so much as a millisecond or all will be lost. But I digress.
Anyhow, I tried to type a few words over the past few days. Let me tell you, my screen screamed in agony. I was that bad.[Fear alert: maybe I've always been that bad and just didn't realize it. Maybe now I'm good enough to know just how terribly putrid and terrible a writer I am. Reason #1 why Clarion kills more careers than it launches - blissful ignorance of our shortcomings hath its motivational advantages over the alternatives.]
I hope to continue the experiment. If you're my friend, don't wish any self-knowledge on me for awhile...
Anyhow, I tried to type a few words over the past few days. Let me tell you, my screen screamed in agony. I was that bad.[Fear alert: maybe I've always been that bad and just didn't realize it. Maybe now I'm good enough to know just how terribly putrid and terrible a writer I am. Reason #1 why Clarion kills more careers than it launches - blissful ignorance of our shortcomings hath its motivational advantages over the alternatives.]
I hope to continue the experiment. If you're my friend, don't wish any self-knowledge on me for awhile...
Monday, April 28, 2008
I wrote a word! Yes, I did. It was me! Yeeha!
It is of such simple victories that celebration must be built. Si?
It is of such simple victories that celebration must be built. Si?
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Yes. yes, it's great that Democrats have finally decided to neutralize the religious advantage Republicans have been able to claim all these years. I admire the strategic genius of embracing the religion issue with full heart. I believe that Hilary and Barak are truly two religious people who see the admonitions for social justice, compassion, and mercy which lie at the heart of all religion.
I think this strategy will help the Democratic party show its soul, win back the Reagan Democrats and build a working majority of people who don't hew strictly to either Milton Friedman or James Dobson's straight and narrow.
Yet, I worry this whole embracing of religion thing is turning into a runaway train. Tonight, Clinton and Obama competed to be holier than thou in a vaguely circus atmosphere of confession before the leading religionists of the US. ("The holy spirit visits me every night in the bathroom." "I have holy spirit toothpaste." "When I say the pledge of allegiance, I deliberately stutter so I can repeat 'under god' 7 or 8 times." etc.) Only McCain was seemly enough not to show up. As a secular American, I'm tempted to switch my vote to him - if it weren't for just about every issue and policy position he holds dear, I would.
Then there's this reference from a CNN article:
Clinton has told interviewers that she has felt the presence of the Holy Spirit on many occasions, and that she believes the resurrection of Christ is a historical fact
Talk about your dynasties! She isn't running as the successor to her husband, she's running as the next George W. Bush!
Okay, that's not fair - though it was my initial reaction. I do not, repeat do not want a president who thinks they're touched by God. Hubris does not a great commander-in-chief make. If no prophet said that, they pretty much all hid it in the subtext. As to the historical veracity of the resurrection - there's more evidence that his descendants are living in France. There's more evidence that the historical Jesus didn't exist. There's much more evidence that virgin birth for humans - pathenogenesis - may be possible (in the future in a lab).
The first Clinton was right. Be a person of faith, make it clear that you are and that you're genuine about it, but don't subject anyone to the details. What can be accomplished the other way? Alienation of those who are differently religious, or sounding non-presidential to those who apply reality-based metrics to what they communicate and share with the vast public.
I think this strategy will help the Democratic party show its soul, win back the Reagan Democrats and build a working majority of people who don't hew strictly to either Milton Friedman or James Dobson's straight and narrow.
Yet, I worry this whole embracing of religion thing is turning into a runaway train. Tonight, Clinton and Obama competed to be holier than thou in a vaguely circus atmosphere of confession before the leading religionists of the US. ("The holy spirit visits me every night in the bathroom." "I have holy spirit toothpaste." "When I say the pledge of allegiance, I deliberately stutter so I can repeat 'under god' 7 or 8 times." etc.) Only McCain was seemly enough not to show up. As a secular American, I'm tempted to switch my vote to him - if it weren't for just about every issue and policy position he holds dear, I would.
Then there's this reference from a CNN article:
Clinton has told interviewers that she has felt the presence of the Holy Spirit on many occasions, and that she believes the resurrection of Christ is a historical fact
Talk about your dynasties! She isn't running as the successor to her husband, she's running as the next George W. Bush!
Okay, that's not fair - though it was my initial reaction. I do not, repeat do not want a president who thinks they're touched by God. Hubris does not a great commander-in-chief make. If no prophet said that, they pretty much all hid it in the subtext. As to the historical veracity of the resurrection - there's more evidence that his descendants are living in France. There's more evidence that the historical Jesus didn't exist. There's much more evidence that virgin birth for humans - pathenogenesis - may be possible (in the future in a lab).
The first Clinton was right. Be a person of faith, make it clear that you are and that you're genuine about it, but don't subject anyone to the details. What can be accomplished the other way? Alienation of those who are differently religious, or sounding non-presidential to those who apply reality-based metrics to what they communicate and share with the vast public.
